Richard Booksigning 13/12/2008 White City

[starfish]

Did you go to Bluewater last year XJ? I did & was also turned away. better luck this time hopefully. Maybe I will see you there.

[dutchdiva]

oh 6 days to go !!!

[xjsarah]

Dec 6, 2008 20:11:35 GMT @starfish said:

Did you go to Bluewater last year XJ? I did & was also turned away. better luck this time hopefully. Maybe I will see you there.

Yes, I did. Absolute pandemonium, wasn't it?! It might be the same this year, but I still reckon it's worth another attempt.

[dutchdiva]

or else we can all go shopping in the biggest indoor mall

[xjsarah]

Exactly! We're in for a good day, no matter what! ;D

[dutchdiva]

I just checked the WHSmith site and it now says Westfield London. Did they change the store or just the name of the store?

[Mayfayre]

What did it say before? I always thought it was that one!

Edit: Just checked the start of the thread - Westfield Centre is in White City, I guess they just changed the name! Having looked at a map of Westfield Centre, WH Smith is actually closer to White City Station than to Shepherds Bush.

[ladyshaniique08]

Yes, White City is in Shepherds Bush, West London.
I was going but my dad won't let me go
Now feeling I need to kick his head in.

[dutchdiva]

Dec 9, 2008 10:41:14 GMT Mayfayre said:

What did it say before? I always thought it was that one!

Edit: Just checked the start of the thread - Westfield Centre is in White City, I guess they just changed the name! Having looked at a map of Westfield Centre, WH Smith is actually closer to White City Station than to Shepherds Bush.

Ok thanks for the info ;D

[ladyshaniique08]

*still wants to go but kicks her dad's head instead*

[Deleted]

There'll be another time plus people may be turned away.

[stigalicious]

What a great day! Lucky 13th

As always, in London in December, the day began… and ended with grey, miserable skies. Dutch and I met with Starfish at 9.30 at Westfields (a bit chavvy but not bad for the purpose) Upon our arrival, a queue had already begun to form (at this point, just 6 people, and thus it remained until a few hours later, we believed some were from HH; fan t shirts you see)

We chose not to join them and went for coffee and shopping, rejoining later at about 11.30. Mostly girls at this point, sat around on the floor reading magazines. We had purchased our books earlier and sat to talk about our impending meeting with ‘the driving God.’ Security was very poor; there was a lot of pushing in the queue at the front and even members of staff commenting out loud about the lack of communication with the other staff. But they weren’t bad with the queuing, quickly setting up a line that was cordoned off. We actually sat down and it wasn’t a problem. A man came around with ‘the postits’ and a number for each book to be signed. No personal messages, no photos with Hammond. One hour; it’s all you can do I guess.

He arrived through the front door (right through massive crowds with just a few security people to help him) Lots of people began pushing to take pictures! Quickly the security jumped in and took him to his table (situated at the very front door) He stood to sign, very quickly done, but always began with ‘how are you’? and ‘are you ready for Christmas?’ I couldn’t think of much to say; to be honest I was very calm and didn’t have much to say to him, so I ended up saying ‘Oh I’m very well thank you, very excited’ and he said ‘Are you?’ and I said (in an excited tone) ‘Yes’ He signed his name and I wished him a Merry Christmas, so he stood up straight and smiled right at me and said ‘Oh thanks, you too.’ He just struck me as such a warm and friendly man, really into the people who had come to see him, and to be honest (this being the first time I was meeting him) I wasn’t sure what to expect.

Of course afterwards we were asked to ‘clear off’ basically, while we waited for Mayfayre and XJ but I immediately (and predictably) began to imagine all the other possible scenarios that my very slow brain failed to formulate BEFORE our meeting, despite the long waiting time. D’oh.

Other reviews from the girls to follow with photos.

[lymaze]

Sounds excellent. I understand completely the imagining of other scenarios and what could have been said - but at least you went. Will look forward to other reports and any photos.

[dutchdiva]

My book being signed

[lew]

Me too, at least you made it unlike poor xj and wolfie last year looking forward to pics and reports

Shame laying across the table weren't allowed ;D

[lymaze]

That's a nice top.

[lew]

Yes very nice top ;D so are you lot in those pic's........ ;D

[Deleted]

thank you ;d

[Wyvern]

Glad you made it ladies Richard is looking rather lovely in that top. Thanks for the photos, Nat

[stigalicious]

some of us yes

[dutchdiva]

[maureen]

Thank you for the great story of your day out, Stig. That's wonderful. Thanks for the great pictures, Dutch. I'm glad you made it to London safely and I'm glad you got to meet up with some of the girls. I hope yall had a great time together and getting to meet Richard.

[Mayfayre]

Good day out . Nice to see you all again. Photos tomorrow, I have a gig to go to now!

[stigalicious]

Piccie from Starfish...

Sorry for the slight blurriness!

[lew]

Still nice pic from star......and I thought so stigga ;D

[Mayfayre]

Photos here.

[dutchdiva]

MF thanks for the wonderful pictures, they are lovely.

[stigalicious]

well done mf, they are cracking!

[maureen]

Thank you, Star and MF also, for sharing your pictures too. I hope all of you who did go had a great time. Richard looks very lovely in these pictures and you all look like you were enjoying yourselves too. I've very happy for all of you.

[Eclair]

Noice! You girls did very well!

LOL Ly I thought you meant one of the girls tops... ;D